Big freeze puts tram works on hold

TRAM works due to begin in the city centre today have been cancelled after the project became the latest high-profile casualty of the plunging temperatures.

Work had been expected to begin on Broughton Street today, with the road due to be closed to through traffic for almost two months.

But the freezing weather has meant tram firm TIE has decided to postpone the work until next weekend when temperatures are expected to have picked up.

Planned bus diversions at Haymarket and the West End have also been postponed until next weekend, the tram firm said.

Mandy Haeburn-Little, the tram project's director of customer services and communications, said: "Due to the extreme weather conditions, a joint decision between Edinburgh Trams, the council and Lothian Buses has been taken to delay the commencement of some areas of work.

"Had the work gone ahead as planned it is unlikely that materials used in the process would have taken to the desired standard as they are not conducive to being laid in the very low temperatures that we're experiencing."

Meanwhile, the council said that, from Monday, it would begin releasing daily updates of its plans for gritting and clearing streets of snow.